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Ok sorry this is getting drawn out but I don’t want to leave you hanging and I am almost done.

So although nothing could top the 10th date of Christmas I took Shane on our 11th Date of Christmas which was my morning date. We both wanted to do this but I scheduled it first!

The Zoo in Albuquerque is awesome! And every year around the holidays they give some of the animals presents with food and toys in them so they can open them. They even open the Zoo early so it’s more of a special event.

I took Shane to the Zoo to watch the animals open presents! We got there super early so we could see all the animals (gorillas, orangutans, cats and elephants got presents) but it was so cold only the cats got the presents.

Next year we won’t get up so early to go unless it’s unseasonably warm. They won’t let the gorillas and orangutans out unless it’s above freezing.

The cats were fun to watch open presents but not as fun as the gorillas and orangutans! Those gorillas LOVED the presents . They had popcorn balls and paper and other fun treats for them on the inside. One gorilla would eat all the popcorn, then throw it up in her hand and eat it again! It was like the never-ending treat!! And sooo gross.

If you live in Albuquerque I highly suggest you visit the animals when they get presents next year.

After the Zoo we had brunch at the cutest most delicious restaurant! It’s called Farm and Table. And everything they make they grow or get locally! Even the milk! It was delicious! And we were lucky enough to run into a friend from high school who gave us a free treat!

Shane had the Farmers’ Quiche – Made with seasonal vegetables, local eggs, and cheese, served with breakfast potatoes and bacon. I had the Poached eggs over grilled baguette and we split a cinnamon roll. We got a free Churro from our friend Joe.

Yumm so tasty!

gorilla enjoying some Christmas popcorn

Orangutans – see the baby at the bottom?! So cute!!

Cinnamon roll at Farm and Table

Churro

Farmers’ Quiche – Made with seasonal vegetables, local eggs, and cheese, served with breakfast potatoes and bacon

A year ago today my cat died. And this was not any normal cat but a cat who won a battle with a rare heart disease, then got cancer. What are the odds?

We had to put him down which basically felt like I made the decision to end his life. Even though I had an amazing vet who made me feel better about it. He was really sick.

My cat Floyd had the BEST personality EVER! Everyone loved him. He was an amazing cat! If you didn’t like cats before you met Floyd you would after you met him. I loved this little guy so much!

So when he died it was sad and hard – and I am no stranger to death, this was just a little harder for me because he was mine completely.

Floyd – Love of my life. One of them 🙂

And isn’t it the case that animal deaths are always hard for people? Like in movies I don’t care if a human dies, but if it’s an animal I am a crying mess for weeks after the movie.

I know personally if there is even a slight chance that an animal might die in a movie I won’t watch it.

So because I feel like crap – I thought I would make a list of the saddest animal deaths in movies. You’re welcome.

PS – there is so profanity below – read at your own risk.

Artax – The NeverEnding Story

Artax – The NeverEnding Story

I think this scene scared me for life. I was a mess when Artax gave up in the Swam of Sadness, even though Atreyu was encouraging him to keep going. Oh god I am crying now! Fucking Swamp of Sadness! The only thing that saved my childhood was the last scene where Atreyu is riding Artax at the end. Thank god!

Antie- Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

Antie– Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

I will never look at creamed filled cookies, Legos, ants and scorpions the same after this movie.

Fucking Scorpions! Antie had a hard of gold.

Hedwig – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Hedwig – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Really! Hedwig! Hedwig! He had to die! Like Harry didn’t lose enough already! They had to kill his pet! Ugh! Hedwig was killed during the Battle of the Seven Potters in the movie he sacrifices himself to save Harry (the book is a little different) – the book is worse because Harry has to let the sidecar (which holds Hedwig’s body) go so they can go faster. This is very upsetting to Harry, his friends and the readers. Fucking Death Eaters!

Sam (Samantha) – I Am Legend

Sam (Samantha) – I Am Legend

Like it’s not hard enough being the only living person left in New York but let’s mess with you a little more and infect your dog. The only living companion you have left. Given to you buy your dead child. Let’s make sure we infect the dog and force you to kill her. Then, let’s figure out the cure to the infection days later.

I did ask people if the dog died before I watched the movie so I could prepare myself. It didn’t help when I actually saw the movie. Even though I knew what was coming – I cried in the movie theater with everyone else who has a soul. Fucking Zombies/Vampires.

Mufasa – The Lion King

Mufasa – The Lion King

I say Scar is the evilest Disney villain ever. He kills his own brother! At least the other bad guys are just killing random people!

When Simba crawls under his dads paw – ahhh! What the hell! And then he gets blamed for that death! So sad Fucking Scar. However, I will say Scar gets it worse in the end when he basically gets eaten alive by the hyenas.

Bambi’s Mother – Bambi

Bambi’s Mother – Bambi

This is obvious. But this did traumatize me and probably every other kid that realized what was going on. Fucking Hunters.

Littlefoot’s Mother – The Land Before Time

Littlefoot’s Mother – The Land Before Time

So Littlefoot’s mom is saving his ass and that ungrateful Cera from the Sharptooth. Sharptooth basically bites a chunk out of her back and neck and kills her. Well causes her to bleed out. The last moment between the mom and Littlefoot is so sad, again what crying. Fucking Sharptooth.

Old Yeller

Old Yeller

Again very obvious, but anytime you have to put your own pet out of its misery makes the moment worse. Fucking Rabies!

King Kong

King Kong

You know it’s coming but it’s still so sad. I remember seeing the Peter Jackson version of this movie with my dad – as we left the theater there was this little kid crying on his dads shoulder. Like full on hysterical crying! Totally felt his pain. Fucking explores and Empire State Building!

Two Socks – Dances With Wolves –

Two Socks – Dances With Wolves –

Seriously the army makes Kevin Costner watch as they shoot his wolf! The wolf that stood by him the whole movie (and it’s not a short movie) I remember crying my eyes out when I was little! My grandma covered my eyes for the sex scene but not the death of Two Socks! Come on Grandma!! Fucking Army!

Charlotte’s death – Charlotte’s Web

Charlotte’s death – Charlotte’s Web

When Wilber is screaming CHARLOTTE!!! It breaks my heart! It makes me cry every time I see it or think about it long enough, I am crying now.

Charlotte’s death was no one’s fault. It’s just the circle of life. Fuck you circle of life and old age!

Ray – The Princess and the Frog

Ray – The Princess and the Frog

This cute Cajun firefly from New Orleans is a hero. Takes on those shadow demons, gets knocked down and then stepped on. Yes people he gets fucking stepped on! This has to be the most disturbing Disney deaths ever! Really Disney!

Obviously I am missing some. I have not seen every movie out there (thankfully) – What are some of the saddest animal movie deaths for you?

Something I have been doing a lot as of late is schooling people on these amazing (some may say ugly I say adorable) creatures.

Axolotls

These creatures came into my life a year ago and have been in my husband’s life for almost two years.

So some background, my husband works at a children’s museum here in AQ. He builds and designs exhibits for the museum, so he basically has the coolest job EVER!

He is also in charge of the animals at Explora (the museum) – he is kind of like a really HOT Hagrid! Everyone loves him and so do the animals!

So a couple years ago the museum got two of these odd creatures and well one thing led to another and they got knocked up! And these guys just don’t have one or two babies or even a commendable six like cats and dogs – these guys out did other species and had 80 babies! The second time (yes they had more!) they had about 75 babies.

Now these babies have to be separated from their parents, which sounds sad but their parents could possibly eat them – it’s not guaranteed but it could happen. There is also not enough room in one tank for all of them. So they have been split up and half are living in my dining room and the other half are living at Shane’s desk at Explora!

Because their natural habitat is shrinking they are now considered endangered

They are one of the few animals that have both gills and lungs, so they can breathe underwater or take gulps of air from the surface.

When they are sexually mature, the color of their fingertips changes

They can live up to 15 years!

You MUST be careful that they don’t eat the rocks in the bottom of their tanks! They will swallow them if the rocks are not big enough! This has happened to Shane – the original mama axolotl ate a rock then threw it up later!!

They have five toes in the back and four in the front. . . .

And this is the coolest thing about them –They regenerate body parts.

They are actually being studied because of this feature. Shane has seen an arm (and other body parts) regenerate! So awesome!

I found this amazing picture of penguins this weekend while cleaning out my garage and organizing some of my dad’s things. I wanted to share the picture (and story that went with it) but I realized I couldn’t just share the picture without explaining my weird obsession/love of penguins.

When I was in the 4th grade I was in that weird, awkward, ugly phase in life – you know, when you have plastic glasses with a horse sticker in the corner of one lens because you think it’s sooooooooo cool, you don’t know how to do your hair, you wear all your cousins hand-me-down clothes so that means you are behind the current fashion styles by ten years or so – well during that phase in my life I discovered A LOT of things about myself.

I knew I was never going to be someone who loved math

I learned I LOVED to read

I learned that my brothers favorite teachers in school would be my least favorite

I learned I would never really love science either

I learned how to spell photosynthesis

But most of all I discovered that I love Penguins!

One day I saw a picture of a baby penguin on its dad’s feet in my science book! My heart melted and I knew I would never be the same!

I immediately showed my mom (who was a teacher at the school I went to) she saw how I would stare at that picture for hours every day. One day she told me to just tear the picture out of the book! I didn’t hesitate – if I had the permission of my mom and a teacher to defile a valued 4thgrade Jemez Valley Science book I was not going to think twice. I still have that picture of the baby penguin!

So to the picture and story that inspired this post.

My dad was an amazing story-teller – one of my favorite stories (and one my friends and family get to hear me tell over and over) is his penguin story. My dad was in the Coast Guard – at one point he was in an ice breaker ship in Antarctica. At some point the ship stopped and they men in the Coast Guard would dare each other to go touch an emperor penguin. So, my dad did it! He went up and touched the penguin and it slapped him – apparently it hurt really bad – but he did it. I recently found this picture – which seems to be an old Polaroid he had taken from the ship of the penguins.

Penguins from my dad's boat -

One of my goals in life is to go to Antarctica and see the penguins – maybe not touch one but defiantly hang out with them.

And if it ever becomes legal, I would cash in my 401K and buy a pet penguin! Maybe two because everyone needs a friend. I would name them Penny and Pacey and we would be so happy!!!!

I made this penguin for a pumpkin decoration contest for work! Yes that's right, behind that adorable penguin is a pumpkin! I got second place!